Here's some news you might have missed in the holiday shuffle last week: Wiley Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif., and former vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, has issued a press release calling for the end to an "imprecatory prayer" for President Barack Obama's death.

No, Drake was not overcome with the holiday spirit. Instead, he has received some "spiritual guidance" that made him realize Obama is worth more alive.

He is now "calling for all of God's people and prayer warriors to cease the imprecatory prayer, and pray for Mr. Obama's protection until he can be properly tried for treason."

To remind you, Drake announced on Fox Radio in June that he was praying for the death of the president. Even the show's host, Alan Colmes, couldn't believe his ears and asked Drake multiple times in disbelief, "So you're praying for the death of the president of the United States?"

It's as if Drake didn't think the public thought he was crazy enough, he now has changed his tune to be an even bigger joke.

What's more is that his revelation to keep Obama alive and well came from watching a video of James David Manning, pastor at ATLAH World Missionary Church in New York. Manning, who gives Drake a run for his money in the cuckoo department, once referred to Obama during a sermon as "trash" and a "long legged mack daddy," slang for someone who provides prostitutes.

Drake says he was persuaded to drop the death prayers by a video message Manning recorded on Nov. 18. On the video, Manning, addressing Obama, says, "I do not want to see anyone attempt, dream about, think about or ever discuss assassinating you. It is most important to you and to my savior Jesus that you live, and that you live a long life, but that you live that we might be able to bring you to trial. You see, if someone does you harm, and you are not able to be brought to trial, then we lose the opportunity of proving our statements that you are not the president of the United States of America. You are not. You are an illegal alien, a usurper."

Could it be that Manning's words were just so convincing and so powerful that Drake had no choice but to rescind his previous imprecatory prayers? I doubt it.

Instead, it seems Drake and Manning saw this is as yet another tactic to receive some media attention, even if it came at the expense of their credibility (well, what was left of it – if any).

After all, these two love to break the rules to get into the limelight. In the past, AU has asked the IRS to investigate both pastors for partisan electioneering. During the presidential race, Drake endorsed Republican candidate Mike Huckabee and issued a press release announcing this endorsement.

And Manning, in a sermon that ended up on YouTube, pleaded with Americans to "not give the White House to that half Negro Barack Hussein Obama. America, don't turn this great nation over to the Negroes. They're not ready yet."

This latest media stunt by Drake and Manning is not shocking. It's just pathetic and laughable. These two cranks deserve one another.

P.S. Drake has in the past announced that he is praying for the death of Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn. It looks like those prayers are still on – unless Drake has found some reason to try Barry for treason as well.